SmartThings Hub for NVIDIA Shield TV - Supported the same as Hub v2 or not?

Devices & Integrations Connected Things
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I’m a SmartThings Link for NVIDIA Shield user, and having just bought it three weeks ago, I’m still trying to understand whether it’s actually a full equivalent to the ST Hub v2.

Also, I am not yet convinced that Samsung / SmartThings will actually support the SmartThings Hub on NVIDIA solution at the same level or pace as with the standalone Hub v2 - in particular with regards to firmware updates.

Here’s the information I’ve gathered so far:

• The SmartThings Android app for NVIDIA Shield TV actually provides the ST Hub functionality, via ST’s Hubcore software. As the Shield doesn’t have ZigBee or Z-Wave radios, a SmartThings hub running on the Shield will only work with cloud / wi-fi controlled devices. (Source: NVIDIA SHIELD TV - SmartThings FAQ)

• The SmartThings Link adds ZigBee and Z-Wave compatibility to the ST hub on Shield TV solution. (Source: NVIDIA SHIELD TV - SmartThings FAQ)

• Apparently, the SmartThings Link is actually re-branded SmartThings Extend, a device that was intended to bring ST Hub functionality to Samsung smart TVs. However, the firmware is different, so you won’t be able to stick a ST Link into a Samsung TV and expect it to work. (Sources: Reddit (with photo) and this ST Community thread)

• Updates to a SmartThings hub on NVIDIA Shield TV appear to be a combination of NVIDIA Shield software updates and (probably) firmware updates for the SmartThings Link. When I log into ST IDE, my hub lists it’s firmware version as 17.112, but blank for hardware version. The latest version of Hubcore included with the most recent NVIDIA Shield TV is 17.112, so that seems to correspond, but I cannot find any information about the firmware version on the ST Link itself.

• SmartThings’ Support site currently lists the latest Hub v2 firmware version at 19.17, which was just released yesterday. There is no mention of the ST Hub for NVIDIA Shield TV or the ST Link on that page.

• On the Hub Firmware v19.17 Release Notes thread, I asked about an update for the ST Link, and the answer I got was this release is for Hub v2 only.

Since setting up my SmartThings hub running on my NVIDIA Shield TV with the ST Link, I’ve successfully added a bunch of ZigBee, Z-Wave, and web-based devices, some with custom ST Community-sourced DTH (device handlers) and Smart Apps, and have had relatively few issues.

However, with no news on the new v19.17 firmware coming to the ST hub on NVIDIA Shield TV, I’m worried that it and the ST Link will be relegated to a slower development cycle than that for the flagship standalone Hub v2. If true, I don’t want to waste any more time setting up my ST Hub on my NVIDIA Shield TV, and will need to consider whether to purchase a ST Hub and start all over, or go with another solution altogether.

So my questions:

Is the ST Hub running on NVIDIA Shield TV with ST Link an equivalent to the ST Hub v2? If not, what are we missing out on and what elements (DTHs, Smart Apps, etc.) won’t work properly?

Can anyone help with an official stance on development support for the Hubcore-based ST Hub on Shield TV with ST Link solution?

Also, when will we see a version 19.17 “firmware” update (if ever)?

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I don’t know the answers to most of your questions, but there are now six different smartthings hub devices:

SmartThings Hub V1
SmartThings Hub V2 (US)
SmartThings Hub UK
SmartThings Link for Nvidia Shield
Samsung SmartThings Connect
SmartThings/ADT Security Hub

Plus the announced but as yet not released Samsung TV version

Each of these has different firmware and its own development cycle. There are no guarantees that features created for one will be available on another or that features will be released in the same order. They serve different markets and to some extent have different development teams.

The v19.17 Firmware update yesterday was only for the smartthings hub V2 and the UK Hub. It didn’t have anything to do with the SmartThings Link for Nvidia shield or any of the other hub devices.

If there’s a particular feature that is released for one of the other devices then you can write to support and tell them you would like to see it on the hub device that you have. But After several false starts, including the TV version, Samsung no longer announces the roadmap in advance except for the big tradeshow announcements, so I don’t think they’re going to give you any projected dates regardless of the hub device that you have. :disappointed_relieved:

https://support.smartthings.com/hc/en-us/categories/200384040-Hubs

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So, as I’ve learned more about the features of the SmartThings hub(s) I found out in the IDE hub page that my ST Link for Shield TV has the ZigBee OTA (Over-The-Air firmware updating) feature disabled, and the ZigBee Utilities doesn’t have links for enabling it.

So I e-mailed support about plans for future support of ZigBee OTA, and also the difference in the firmware version from the v2 hub. Here is the reply I got:

We do not support Zigbee OTA with the Nvidia Shield Link. We do not plan on having that feature in the future. When it comes to firmware, the Nvidia Shield is on a different update and firmware version schedule to that of the SmartThings hub due to the fact that the hardware in the shield is very different to that of the ST Hub.

Well, I’m finished with my ST Link. In to a drawer it goes! I really really wish I had known the ST Link is going to be a “second class citizen” to the v2 hub BEFORE the Samsung ST sale finished just six days ago… Thank goodness I got the ST Link for $15 with a coupon, because it was clearly a waste of money that would have been much better spent on the v2 hub!

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Sad news :frowning: on OTA Zigbee Updates

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Just to mention another distinction. No local execution. Even the “local-enabled” DTHs run in the cloud with Smartthings Link.

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NVIDIA SHIELD EXPERIENCE UPGRADE 7.0

Enjoy the New SmartThings Hub Update
Certain automations that control Zigbee and Z-wave devices can now run locally without requiring cloud processing, leading to faster response time.

https://shield.nvidia.com/support/nvidia-android-tv/release-notes/1

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Well that’s cool!

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About six months too late.

I gave up on my SmartThings Link back in December, bought a v2 hub, and now I’m mostly moved over to a Hubitat hub, which can work 100% local and allows full functionality of all of my Xiaomi devices because it doesn’t filter out Zigbee endpoint data on attribute report messages as SmartThings does.

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Yes, I got that wrong, because I didn’t check which device is local according to firmware. All my lights were ZLL type, and they run local from 21, and Shield is on 20. When I switched them to Zigbee dimmer, I got local processing. So now we’re waiting for firmware updates with more local devices. By the way, as the Shield has a software hub and much more memory and processing power than the actual Smartthings hub, it should be able to process even more things locally, not less. But I know, it’s not going to happen, and not for technical reasons… :slight_smile:

P.S. Actually I wasn’t wrong in my first post, as the update came later, but I missed the announcement, and until a week ago was under the impression that there’s no local for Shield

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By the way, lately NVidia is pushing a bundle called Shield Smart home edition or something like that, so maybe they’ll push Samsung to up their game a bit :slight_smile: